Kim Jong-un: The Supreme Leader

KIM JONG-UN

It seems to be that Kim Jong-un’s biggest worry is his new ski resorts that he has built, fearing they might go bust due to lack of tourists and the major issue of the snow melting- due to climate change. North Korea is falling victim to changing Arctic weather patterns that are warming winters and reducing the levels of snow on lower slopes.

The supreme leader has invested in various ski resorts in North Korea to attract winter-sports enthusiasts and hard currency, to increase tourism. Since the coronavirus spreading throughout China, Kim has shut the border cutting off the largest source of tourists to North Korea.

Has the supreme leader made any actions himself to fight climate change?

Over the past few years, North Korea has suffered severe droughts, record heat and damaging floods caused by climate change; declining availability of food, water and energy, sea level rise, migration, and extreme weather events – pile more stress onto countries already at risk from internal instability and economic weakness.

But from my research, the supreme leader has made no drastic actions to fight climate change, but has however set up various plans and meetings to resolve this crisis. From my understanding, his main concerns are2 with Trump and the actions he has planned surrounding nuclear weapons and economic sanctions; focusing on power and not survival.

North Korea has strong incentives to fight climate change and its potential to erode government control. The fact that the nation has become more compliant over time suggests that the objectives of the international climate change regime come together with the survival imperatives of Kim Jong-un’s government.

There is compelling evidence that the North Korean government is motivated by domestic power games to co-operate globally on climate change- Kim has initiated tree-planting campaigns to take place over next decade, and said all mountains will be turned into “golden and thickly wooded with trees.”

“Let us launch a revolutionary general offensive to achieve fresh victory on all fronts of building a powerful socialist country!”